A TOTAL of seven employees of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) were ordered dismissed from the services for their alleged involvement in illegal activities, the agency said.
According to BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado, the employees’ dismissal is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to eliminate corruption and strengthen the country’s border security.
The BI employees dismissed were assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminals 1 and 3 and will undergo an extensive investigation due to reports that they were involved in allowing the illegal departure of trafficking victims who returned last March 25.
If found that they assisted the victims, the employees will face charges at the Department of Justice.
The victims arrived in Manila via a Philippine Airlines flight from Bangkok, Thailand after they were rescued by the government from online scamming syndicates in Myanmar.
“Traffickers are looking for ways to evade inspection,” according to Viado. “Whether it be a corrupt individual or areas that are vulnerable for illegal travel, these syndicates push to exploit every possible loophole to smuggle victims out undetected. This is why continuous vigilance, stronger enforcement, and interagency cooperation are crucial in stopping these crimes,” Viado added.